John Calvin was born only a few years before the Christian church in
Europe was plunged into the chaos of the Protestant Reformation. To
Calvin, the only thing that mattered was correcting God's church, which
he thought had wandered away from the truth. Throughout his adult life,
Calvin manifested a singular passion with God. He desired intensely to
subjugate the world to what he saw as God's truth, and his ideas started
the movement now known as Calvinism. From Calvin's time, the movement
has grown and spread throughout Europe and into North and South America,
Africa, and Asia. Today 'New Calvinism' is a major branch of
Protestantism.
In this Very Short Introduction Jon Balserak explores Calvin's life
and considers the major ideas and issues associated with the Calvinist
system of thought. He looks at how Calvinist ideas and practices spread
and took root, helping shape societies today. Much of contemporary
thought - especially western thought - on everything from civil
government to money, suicide, and divorce has been influenced by
Calvinism. Balserak also combats common misconceptions about Calvinism,
and explores the relationship between Calvinism and the modern world.
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